i saw them fall.
by Enchanted Emerald
Summary: i saw the World Trade Center towers fall from my english classroom on the north shore of staten island. this is a harry potter fic based on my experience.


I am a New Yorker. I watched the world trade towers burn and fall from across New York harbor, my English classroom has a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline. We took it for granted until we walked into our classroom and saw our beautiful towers burning, our city crumbling. I thought, while watching the fire, people are dying there and we're here in school. I've never felt so helpless or afraid in my life. We all sat on the window sills, transfixed, we couldn't stop watching it was as if the shades weren't there, then the towers fell. All at once our silence broke and my English teacher was crying, my classmates were crying. "My God, the towers…", "My Dad works there.", "I can't believe this, " "We saw them fall…" Everybody was upset. The principal burst in, "everybody out of here now." We were the only class with that view 4th and 5th period, it was too late, we'd seen our city perish, we'd seen our loved ones, relatives, friends perish, and we felt something inside of us perish along with them. And through all of this all I could think of was "we saw them fall." Then I knew exactly how Harry had felt when Cedric died in front of him, he saw him fall and felt helpless and afraid, but it wasn't over. It's mayhem at the ministry in New York from now on, we can't move on so easily. I can't get my mind off of the missing people, the missing heroes, the firefighters, policemen, rescue workers, innocent office workers. I can't get the crumbling towers off of replay in my head. So I'll write this to get my mind off of it for a bit. This is my first fic, Harry's point of view. Dedicated to the many fallen heroes, and to the one's still working to save others.  
  
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I saw him fall, he was right next to me. It was so surreal. I wanted him to get up, to brush himself off and go back to normal. I wanted to hold my hand out to him to help him up, but he was already too far away, it was too late. His name echoed in my head, "Cedric, Cedric, Cedric…" I looked up, I was being dragged away from him, bound in magical ropes, held back, I wanted to help him. I couldn't even reach out. My vision blurred, tears, I wouldn't let them run down my face, they couldn't see them, that's what they wanted. They. The evil doers, the bastards, they did this to reak havoc, to get to us, to see our tears. I won't let them win, they won't get what they want, not my tears, not ever. It's getting harder to fight them back., my vision is blurring more. God, no. They can't win, Cedric, get up, I can't reach you to help, but please, just stand up again, I saw you fall, please, say it wasn't real. A bad movie playing over and over again in my mind, your falling figure, the thud sounded so much louder in my mind. I hear screaming now, pain, it could be me, I don't know, I feel lost. "Crucio," the cold voice again, bearing down on my thoughts, shattering me. That screaming is getting louder, I'm being jerked into reality. "Cedric"…I can hear myself but I can't feel myself. The heartache being replaced by burning anger. I hate him. He's done this to us. He's broken so many people, I hear sobbing now, it's others, I won't cry. Evil should never win over good, "Imperio…" I feel lightheaded now, no cares but I there;s a nagging at my heart, "do not obey him." I won't, never, I won't cry, either. Good will always triumph. That coldness in my mind, "Evil wins, do as I say." I won't, no. "Do it." Cedric…I'll help you…"Obey me." I can't I will not, reality setting in now, the blurring is stopping, everything's clearer. I'll help you Cedric, not him. Good will win. He's telling me to follow him, to do as he says, I'm fighting him with your help, Cedric, I'm coming to take you back. That voice once more, "OBEY ME!"  
  
I WON'T!  
  
I've broken his spell, I've woken up to find that it wasn't a dream, I'm still here. You're still there, on the ground, you look so cold. I'm coming but an ocean stands between us. You were my friend, I saw you everyday, I took you for granted. I'm sorry I did, I'll never see you standing again, I'm realizing that now. I'm running now, not looking back, ducking, hiding. They won't take me, too. He's approaching, he wanted it to be this way. I won't let him have it, I'm standing again. Facing him, they say I'm brave but I don't feel like I am. I feel this is something I have to do, life won't stop for this evil. My wand is doing something funny, now I see you Cedric, help me, please stay. More innocents, they're helping but I'm so sad. We have to get out of here, they want to win. It's broken now, I'm running from them, I'm running to you. I can just reach you and we're gone in a whirl of flashes.   
  
If I keep my eyes shut, I'll keep reality out, screaming, shrieking, sobbing, distress, it's my friends, classmates, teachers. How did this happen, who is responsible? Evil. Some one is shaking me but I won't let go, Cedric, if I do I'll never see you standing again. I opened my eyes, they want everyone out of here, not to see, it's too late, they know, they've seen. We've seen you fall, we're so sad, angry, too. A dark cloud is hovering over all of us, the rain has come. I'm so sorry for taking you for granted, I'm so sorry to be so helpless. I wanted to save the situation, to save you. Not now, you've already gone. The dementors are here for now, but they'll fade and phoenix song will rise out of the ashes and rubble.  
  
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Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.  
  
  
  



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